Italian swimming great Federica
Pellegrini made history at Tokyo 2020 on Tuesday by qualifying
for the Olympic final in the 200 metres freestyle for the fifth
time.
No woman swimmer had ever achieved this feat before in the same
event and only Michael Phelps has done it among the men.
"This was not my minimum target for these games, it was my real
aim for these Olympics," Pellegrini told RAI television.
"It was tough because the level has risen a great deal.
"It will be the last. Tomorrow I want to enjoy it until the end.
"It will be great fun, perhaps like the first Olympics final for
me".
The 32-year-old, a six-time world champion, won gold in the
event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and silver at her first Games
in Athens in 2004.
"There is no one in the world like her," said Foreign Minister
Luigi Di Maio via Facebook.
"Federica Pellegrini gave us a unique feeling once again.
"She is the first woman swimmer to reach five consecutive
Olympic finals in her speciality".
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